How to Welcome Social Media in Your Business

Some businesses still shy away from social media with the fear of it being too dangerous. The truth is, getting over the fear of social media consequences could be the best thing you can do for your business.

Jeanne Meister, a Partner at Future Workplace, shared a great story about this subject on Forbes.com. She talked about MasterCard being fearful of their employees joining social media because of all the confidential information they possess. In 2009, MasterCard’s CEO challenged the company to change to a consumer-focused company and infuse social and digital media into the organization.

Take steps to get past your fear of being present on social media:

Create a company-wide strategy

Get a grasp of what social media will mean for your business and how you want to use it. Include all players in your business to get everyone on the same page and get input on how you should proceed.

Have clear goals and standards before starting

Do you want everyone in your company to share your businesses content on social media? Establish guidelines and define how active you want employees, especially senior executives.

Social media training

It will be important to make sure employees of all ages understand the value and importance of the brand building that comes with using social media. Train them on how to promote the company and share content successfully.

Use employees who already know social media

Identify employees using social media successfully and who have experience in sharing content. It will be crucial to use their expertise and experience to spread knowledge throughout the company and provide support on how to actively create social media content for the business.

Embrace social media and train for success!

Published on: May 5, 2014